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Learning to perform the old-fashioned oil change on your own car is considered a rite of passage by some folks, where boys and girls mature into full-fledged members of the motoring world. Each vehicle will have nuances in design that keep mechanic eyes sharp and vigilant, but the basic principle always exists: old engine oil and filter come out, new oil and filter go in. There may be a crush washer or some other gaskets thrown in to the mix too.

Truthfully, it’s been a few months since I last had to change the oil on anything. But after remembering a press release from many months back emphasizing the Chevrolet Cruze’s cartridge-style oil filter and, with a Cruze in my possession, I wanted to take a closer look. Call it longing on my part. Yes, the cartridge filter is older than dirt; however, there wasn’t a BMW waiting in the garage either. It takes two to tango.

As our recent Focus vs. Cruze comparison showed, the Chevy is powered by a turbocharged 1.4-liter inline-four. The Ecotec mill is also supposed to be a breeze when it’s time for an oil change. Based on the press photo that was floated with the aforementioned release (shown to the right), I was expecting the filter housing to be presented front and center for my service. In hindsight, I should have known better. I mean, when was the last time a block sat exposed that way in the engine bay, apart from times when something had gone terribly wrong?

I presume the press shot is for the Cruze’s base 1.8-liter because the LTZ RS oil filter housing is mounted at an angle. Obscuring direct access by hand is a water hose and the intercooler cold pipe. Actually, the intercooler tubing is the primary offender, but it appears Chevy had at least shaped the plastic pipe to create a pocket of empty space directly below the air charge/intake air temperature sensor. Since the housing has a screw-on cap, and given the tight quarters, could I easily get my hands on the filter?

First, I’d need to find the correct socket. I guessed an inch—swing and a miss. The next size used was 15/16-inch and that fit beautifully. Next, a 3-inch extension was affixed to my half-inch-drive ratchet though there was definitely some extra length needed. Another 5-inch extension was procured and that was all she wrote. It’s not like I could have gone any longer anyway since the ratchet was already knocking against the battery case.

So there you have it—the Cruze LTZ RS oil filter is still somewhat easy to access. There’s been a lot of talk about how newer cars are more difficult for DIY-ers to work on for various reasons. But as far as this garage monkey goes, the Cruze can stay garage-monkey-approved for now.